Lucy T. Smith, an international award-winning botanical artist, has been passionately documenting the diversity of the plant world through her art and scientific illustrations for over thirty years.  For twenty-four of those years, she worked as a freelance artist for the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew which holds hundreds of her artworks in its collection. Her exceptional talent has led to her illustrations being featured in numerous scientific journals worldwide.

Lucy has taught botanical art for many organisations, and currently leads the teaching of botanical illustration courses at Kew. 

Lucy's dedication and talent have earned her numerous accolades, including the prestigious Jill Smythies Award for Botanical Illustration from the Linnean Society, two gold medals from the Royal Horticultural Society, and First Prize (twice) in the Margaret Flockton Award for Botanical Illustration. In 2020, she was honoured with the Botanical Illustrator Award for Excellence in Scientific Botanical Art from the American Society of Botanical Artists.

In addition to her remarkable achievements, Lucy takes on custom commissions, with notable clients including a 90th birthday present for Sir David Attenborough.

 

For the first time ever, this exhibition brings together a selection of Lucy's artwork, showcasing her unique ability to combine art and science. The work is intricate, precise, and detailed, highlighting a diverse range of subjects.

Among the pieces on display are early portraits of tropical Australian palms painted in watercolour and gouache.

Also featured are scientific pen and ink illustrations specifically created for the recently published book 'Palms of New Guinea' by Kew, along with drawings and watercolours from Lucy's ongoing major project: the beautiful Victoria Water Lilies.

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Lucy's latest book, 'Botanical Sketchbooks: An Artist's Guide to Plant Studies,' is now available for sale. It provides a comprehensive insight into her botanical work. Some of the original images from the book will be displayed in the Gallery. 

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Workshop with Lucy at The Sunbury Gallery:

Exploring Drawing and Painting with Lucy Smith 

Monday 23rd September from 10am to 3pm.

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Talk with Lucy at The Sunbury Gallery:

Saturday 28th September from 5:30pm to 7pm.

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